Camp Waste and Sludge Management Study

his project was undertaken to examine the composition of solid waste and sludge generated at two of Cenovus Energy’s camps, with the goal of identifying waste management options to reduce both volume and costs. Solid waste and sludge grab samples were collected twice (July and October) from four key locations in each camp—office, cafeteria, camp rooms, and kitchen—and delivered to the Olds College Composting Technology Centre (OCCTC). The study assumed that the samples received at OCCTC were representative of the overall camp waste stream, though waste quantification by category was not conducted. The collected wastes were sorted into ten categories using a sort-and-weigh method, and data were analyzed for Alberta Environment compost feedstock parameters and CCME heavy metals parameters.

Results showed that food waste made up the largest portion of the waste stream, followed by paper and plastic at both locations in July and October. Analysis indicated that the physical and chemical parameters of the solid waste samples were within the CCME’s suggested ranges for compost quality, while lime and wastewater exceeded Category A limits for at least one heavy metal. It is important to note that these quality criteria apply to finished compost rather than raw feedstocks. Therefore, the assessment must be qualified by recognizing that the materials would be mixed with low-metal amendments.